NEW YORK STATE FOOTBALL: LIFELONG FRIENDS — AIELLO AND MACAULEY — HAVE TIOGA AT TOP OF CLASS D FOOTBALL WORLD (1 (December 4, 2022)

By TIM BIRNEY
Valley Sports Report
SYRACUSE — After 13 seasons on the Tioga football sidelines, Nick Aiello has 10 Section IV, Class D titles to his name, and Saturday earned his third state title, and second in a row.

Aiello’s career record becomes more impressive each year. He is now 122-23, with a 26-2 mark in the Section IV playoffs, and a 16-7 record in the state playoffs.

Aiello has had a number of assistant coaches over the years, but one — lifelong friend Adam Macauley — has been with him since Day 1 of his tenure as head coach at Tioga.

The duo graduated from Allegany-Limestone in Western New York, where Aiello was QB on their high school team, and Macauley was the center, then went their separate ways to college, before both ended up at Tioga — Macauley three years after Aiello.

"We’ve been doing it together a long time now," said Aiello.

"We were laughing after the Sectional championship that it seemed like it just started yesterday, and here we are 13 years later.

"I’ve known him since I was 5, to be able to coach together is special," noted Aiello. "We kind of have our own football lingo — I’ll say what I’m thinking and he understands, and he says what he’s thinking and I get it.

"We’ve grown together as coaches, and it’s been a lot of fun," Aiello added.

Aiello has an affinity for all his assistant coaches — both past and present, but Macauley holds a special place.

"He’s the one who does both sides of the line, so when it comes down to game plan — offense and defense, he’s the one breaking down film," said Aiello.

"He’s the one getting our defensive tackles to take on a trap, or take on a counter trey, whatever needs to be done.

"On the offensive side of the ball, our offensive game plan runs through him," added Aiello. "He has to get the guys ready with whatever type of vision I have."

Macauley is a man of few words, but speaks highly of Aiello.

"The fact we’re good friends puts a little added pressure on how hard you have to work … you can’t take any days off. If we spend one day where we’re slacking, we know we have to pick it up to make up for it.

"Coach (Aiello) is a great motivator for the team, and he’s also a great motivator for all the coaches," said Macauley.

"He’s a great person, and he can relate to the kids," added Macauley. "They’ll do anything for him."

Kevin Evanek coached football at Tioga for 12 years — 10 of those with Aiello and Macauley, including the 2015 and 2021 state title season.

"Nick and Adam are perfect combination of coaches," said Evanek.

"Adam works in such detail with his linemen … the head position, and the first and second steps, etc," noted Evanek. "He’s phenomenal. He’s the best line coach I’ve ever seen.

"We’d go to a lot of coaching clinics, and he knows as much as any of those guys.

"Obviously, Nick is the total package as a head coach," added Evanek.

What makes Aiello the complete package?

"It’s his knowledge of the game, it’s his interaction with the kids, it’s his leadership abilities, I could go on forever," said Evanek.

"The respect he gets from the kids is amazing, and he gives it to them, too," added Evanek. "He’s demanding, but the kids all respond to him."

There are other things as well, says Evanek.

"Their ability to break down film has been a huge part of their success," said Evanek.

"And, Nick works on all the little things, like stalk blocking for wide receivers, every day in practice; that’s what makes him the coach he is," he noted.

"They’re still best friends. It’s a perfect combination," added Evanek. "When you know each other inside and out, I think it makes coaching a lot easier."

Tioga assistant coach Connor Hutchison, who quarterbacked Aiello’s first state title team in 2015, said Aiello and Macauley have an unequaled work ethic.

"I think their work ethic is what makes them so special," he said. "The time they put in for these guys is crazy, and they did the same thing back when I played.

"They’re special guys outside of football as well," he noted. "They care about the guys outside of football, and I think that means a lot to the players. It did to me when I played, and I think these guys feel the same way."

Assistant coach Tyler Spires, who played on Aiello’s first three teams (2010-12), agrees with Hutchison.

"You want to talk about two guys who are relentless about putting the work in, it’s Nick Aiello and Adam Macauley," he said. "They analyze film, every single aspect of it, and watch it over and over and over again.

"The other thing is everyone around them buys into what they say," added Spires.

Assistant coach Jordan Hathaway, who has been on the staff for eight years, is another advocate of the duo’s work ethic.

"The amount of work and time they put in is incredible," he said. "It’s just a lot of time and effort from them.

"They watch a ton of film, too," added Hathaway. "And, they were both college athletes as well, so they know the time and commitment it takes."

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IN PHOTO: Tioga’s Nick Aiello (left) and Adam Macauley. … PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.